Save the Date - August 8, 2012!
After a stunning, sold-out event in 2011, with picture-perfect weather and the best gathering of chefs and mixologists in town, Taste of the Nation Chicago is returning to the historic Grand Ballroom and east lakeside plaza on Chicago’s Navy Pier! Join event chair R.J. Melman (Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises) and nearly 100 of Chicago’s most innovative and renowned chefs and mixologists as we gather together to end childhood hunger in Illinois and America. This year’s event will honor groundbreaking beverage luminaries Bridget Albert (Southern Wine and Spirits) and Goose Island Beer Co.’s John Hall in a celebration of Chicago’s contribution to the world of food and beverage. Guests will also enjoy live entertainment by Chicago’s hottest DJs, and a silent auction featuring many unique experiences and delightful packages.
Participating Restaurants
avec - Bedford - Big Jones - Black Sheep - Blackbird - The Bristol - C-House - Cafe des Architectes - Cafe Spiaggia - City Provisions - Custom House Tavern - The Drawing Room - Epic - The Florentine - Frontera Grill - Gaztrowagon - Girl and the Goat - Green Zebra - HotChocolate - Hub51 - In Fine Spirits - IPO - Inovasi Restaurant - L20 - Leopold - Lillie’s Q - Lula / Nightwood - MK - Mercadito - Mercat A La Planxa - Old Town Social - Osteria Via Stato - Paris Club - Pastoral - Piccolo Sogno - Primehouse - Province - The Purple Pig- Rhapsody - Signature Room - Sprout - Sunday Dinner - Terzo Piano - Tete - Tru - Vie - Wave
Participating Mixologists
| Burnett Baker (Boosha's Way) Tony Bell (MacGuffins) Christopher Bloom (USBG IL Member) Carlos Cuarta (USBG IL Member) Andre Cunningham (Perennial Virant) Cristi DeLucca (The Drawing Room) Carol Donovan (USBG IL Secretary) Aja Engel (Coobah) Sara Fasolino (Morton's The Steakhouse) Ramon Henderson (USBG IL Member) Lynn House (Blackbird) Charles Joly (The Drawing Room) Sonja Kassebaum (North Shore Distillery) Al Klopper (Elysian Hotel) Rob Krass (VeeV Spirits) | James Kuehner (Signature Room) Logan Lavachek (Roof at the Wit Hotel) Carol Madey (Francesca's on 95th) Eric Mersh (Mercadito) Milan Mijatovic (The Silversmith Hotel) Tracy Miller (Hyatt Regency Chicago) Bryson Ryan (University Club of Chicago) Sebastien Santiago (Aria Lounge at Fairmont) Paul Sauter (Mercadito) Revae Schneider (UpBar in Union Sushi & Barbeque Bar) Adam Seger (Hum Spirits) William Skelly (Tenzing Wine & Spirits) Andrew Schicker (GT Fish & Oyster) Leanne Strickler (North Shore Distillery) |
Dessert Lounge
Angel Food Bakery - Black Dog Gelato - The Bristol - Boka - Flirty Cupcakes - Hoosier Mama Pie Co. - HotChocolate - MK The Restaurant - More - Moto - Nightwood - Sepia - Sixteen -The Wit
Event Chair
R.J. Melman
Hub 5, R.J. Grunts, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Studio Paris, Paris Club
Steering Committee
| Lauren Polkow Grub Hub Event Co-Chair Johnny Auer jamco new media, inc. Social Media, Marketing and PR Kyle McHugh Masters of Whisky/Boozehound Beverage Co-Chair Kristin Meyer Capitol Commercial Real Estate Sponsorship Chair Brad Mulcahey AON Finance Chair Elissa Narow Sweet and Naro Restaurant Chair | Debbi Peek The Bristol Beverage Co-Chair Corey Polkow La Colombe Torrefaction Restaurant Co-Chair Ben Smock Toque and Bottle Advisory Event Co-Chair & Operations Chair Chuck Sudo Chicagoist Hunger Messaging Chair Anna Treiber Henson Consulting Public Relations Chair Stacy Tsihlopoulos Chicago White Sox Auction Chair |
Our Committee
| Cara Baiocchi Ernst & Young Communications Committee Nicole Banks Gilt City Auction Committee Jennie Bernstein Attorney, Fischel and Kahn Ticket Sales Committee Joe Campagna Grant Merchant Services Communications Committee Erica Carter Nestle Waters North America Operations Committee Brian Cravens Nestle Waters North America Operations Committee Lisa Goecke National Restaurant Association Operations Committee Anna Greenberg Julie Hamm Henson Consulting Public Relations Committee Kathleen Henson Henson Consulting Public Relations Committee Michael Kornick Chef/Owner, mk the restaurant Restaurant/Chef Committee Lauren Kurtz Designer Marketing Committee | John Meyer Principal, Capitol Commercial Real Estate Auction Committee Jennifer Paulson Green & Black's Organic Chocolate Communications Committee Nikki Remijas Operations Committee Mindy Reznik DupreeBlue Operations Committee Jeanelle Sims MMI Communications Committee Dave Smith Mission Press Operations Committee Mike Stashwick Sunrise Technologies Auction Committee Diana Sirotkin Crain's Chicago Business Operations Committee Cat Taylor Wagstaff Worldwide Operations Committee Meghan Thornton Operations Committee Max Wastler TimeOut Chicago Communications Committee Stacy Tsihlopolous Coordinator, Community Relations, Chicago White Sox Ticket Sales |
2011 Local Sponsors
After-Party Sponsor
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
